The Oyo State government has directed that public schools in the state be reopened on Monday.
The state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Toye Arulogun, disclosed this while addressing journalists on Saturday evening.
According to him, the state government’s decision followed consideration of appeals from several representations by the Parents Teachers Association, community leaders, traditional rulers, prominent and well meaning Nigerians at home and abroad, asking the state government to reopen the schools.
He however said that the 17 schools that participated in the demonstration by students on June 6 were excluded from the reopening order.
The affected schools listed are: Baptist Secondary School, Senior and Junior, Oke-Ado, Ibadan, Ansar-ud-Deen Secondary School, Liberty, Ibadan, Ansar-ud-Deen High School, Liberty, Ibadan, Ibadan Grammar School, Senior and Junior, Molete, Ibadan, Olubi Memorial Grammar School, Molete, Ibadan, St Luke Grammar School, Senior and Junior, Molete, Ibadan, St Luke College, Molete, Ibadan, Yejide Girls Grammar School, Molete, Ibadan.
Others are Methodist Grammar School, Senior and Junior, Bodija, Ibadan, Methodist Secondary School, Bodija, Ibadan, Oba Akinyele Memorial High School, Basorun, Idi-Ape, Ibadan, Ikolaba Grammar School, Agodi, Ibadan, Ikolaba Secondary School, Agodi, Ibadan, Ikolaba High School, Agodi, Ibadan, Lagelu Grammar School, Agugu, Ibadan, Okebadan High School, Oluyoro, Ibadan and Ibadan Boys High School, Okebola, Ibadan.
Arulogun noted that the affected schools would remain shut until the principals and the management of the schools submitted an undertaking to the government that their students will not engage in or be used for violent acts and that their safety will be guaranteed.
“Considering the need for strong character moulding and to emphasize the importance of good conduct and acceptable behaviour for the leaders of tomorrow, the students must tender a written apology to the government through the school management,” he said.
The public schools were shut by the state government after the destruction of government property and those of individuals and corporate bodies by students and teachers of some schools in the state on June 6, 2016.
Meanwhile, chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Waheed Olojede, has maintained that the state government’s order does not nullify the ongoing strike.
He enjoined workers to go on with the strike until their demands were met.
According to him, NLC had ordered the strike before government shut schools.
List of the 17 shut schools:
Baptist Secondary School, Senior and Junior, Oke-Ado, Ibadan.
Ansar-ud-Deen Secondary School, Liberty, Ibadan.
Ansar-ud-Deen High School, Liberty, Ibadan.
Ibadan Grammar School, Senior and Junior, Molete, Ibadan.
Olubi Memorial Grammar School, Molete, Ibadan.
St Luke Grammar School, Senior and Junior, Molete, Ibadan.
St Luke College, Molete, Ibadan.
Yejide Girls Grammar School, Molete, Ibadan.
Methodist Grammar School, Senior and Junior, Bodija, Ibadan.
Methodist Secondary School, Bodija, Ibadan.
Oba Akinyele Memorial High School, Basorun, Idi-Ape, Ibadan.
Ikolaba Grammar School, Agodi, Ibadan.
Ikolaba Secondary School, Agodi, Ibadan.
Ikolaba High School, Agodi, Ibadan.
Lagelu Grammar School, Agugu, Ibadan.
Okebadan High School, Oluyoro, Ibadan.
Ibadan Boys High School, Okebola, Ibadan.